The CSPA Council Meeting on 14 and 15 May was the first (almost) full face-to-face meeting since February 2020.  The meeting was attended by Karl Rodrigues (Chair); Rachel Saliba & Matthew Williams (VIC); Dr Pep Turner & Don Ryan (TAS); Carmel Nash OAM & Wayne Crase (QLD); Siobhan Allen & Marina Hayward (WA); Trish Jarvis (SA) (via Zoom); Wayne Davie & Christine Morrison (NSW); Selina Walker (via Zoom) & Nicole Pollock (Proxy) (ACT & Goulburn) and John O’Brien (Executive Officer).   Sarah Rose (CSP ACT + Goulburn) and Fr Michael Twigg OMI were apologies.

Special guests who addressed the meeting included Nicholas Moore (NCEC Chair) and Jacinta Collins (NCEC Executive Director) who updated CSPA members on the work of NCEC with focus on the upcoming federal election, funding for Catholic schools, enrolments including pre-school, capital development, student outcomes and a number of evidenced based initiatives for improvement and the right of parents to expect high quality education for their children.

Karl Rodrigues (CSPA Chair) moved a vote of thanks to Nicholas Moore and Jacinta Collins after their presentation at the CSPA council meeting.

Cameron Wood (ACSRF Head of Marketing and Business Development) and Justin Colley (ACSRF Business Development Manager) gave an update in relation to ACSRF matters and a key focus was on the possible merger with Uni Super.  Reference was also made to the financial literacy program articles provided to CSPA. 

Wayne Crase moved a vote of thanks to ACSRF’s Cameron Wood and Justin Colley after their presentation at the CSPA council meeting.

Some other discussion points at the meeting included:

• Special welcome of those new to CSPA, included: Matthew Williams (VIC), Christine Morrison (NSW) and Nicole Pollock (ACT and Goulburn);
• Building up the bank of CSPA images of parents and children in school settings;
• Member reports, which touched on a broad cross-section of topics;
• Strategies in relation to the Federal election;
• CSPA representative sign up to various CSPA committees;
• An update regarding CSPA NT;
• Updates of project work;
• Remaining meetings for 2022, including 3 & 4 September in Melbourne and 5 & 6 November in Adelaide; and
• The sign off of the CSPA Rights and Respectful Relationships Position Statement.

While the usual items were satisfactorily attended to at the AGM, the 2022 AGM also saw the farewell of Karl Rodrigues, who concluded his period of tenure, and the election of Madonna King as the new independent Chair.

During the Saturday evening dinner, Siobhan Allen (CSPA Deputy Chair) thanked Karl for his well-received input to CSPA, which was often enriched by sharings from his role with the Australian space agency.  Also, during the dinner, Carmel Nash thanked Peter Grace, who had returned to a school leadership role earlier in the year, and Wayne Crase who had contributed significantly to CSPA through his work on the finance committee and as a member of the executive.  Peter’s work as a writer on the parent engagement project was also acknowledged.

The report of the CSPA Chair (Karl Rodrigues) can be found here.

The report of the CSPA Executive Officer (John O’Brien) can be found here.

Carmel Nash thanked Wayne Crase for his work with CSPA

CSPA council members enjoyed meeting together face-to-face for the first time since February 2020

Following are stories shared by some CSPA Members.

Tasmanian Catholic Schools Parents Council

The TCSPC shares the following story from Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School.

Connecting Community in 2022:

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School is situated in Lenah Valley, approximately 5 km from Hobart. It offers classes from Kindergarten to Grade 6 in a caring, friendly, family environment.  There is a strong link between parish, school and family where Christ’s teaching is the foundation of all that is done. Students are encouraged to demonstrate the best of themselves every moment of every day and to make positive contributions to their classrooms and Grade levels.

The school provides an excellent extra-curricular program to support the traditional teaching and learning programs in the school and this includes Physical Education, Specialist Art, Music, Library and Auslan.

It is felt that the school should be an extension of the home where each individual is cared for and loved. Parents are encouraged to be an integral part of the life of the school. Children are also encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their learning and behaviour.

The Acting Principal, Mrs Rachel Kelly notes that in the ever-changing COVID landscape, providing opportunities for parents and carers to re-connect, or even connect face to face for the first time, feels like the season of spring.  The evidence is clear, when families and schools have strong relationships, children win.

With the support of the Tasmanian Catholic Schools Parents Council, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School put in place in May the first of three events to help develop and strengthen pathways to enhance social connection with our parents, carers and special people throughout 2022.    An open door, a coffee, a croissant, a smile, a song; in the Josephite tradition - hospitality and gratitude the heart of forging pathways to re-connect our community.  It was wonderful to see, at this particular event, many mothers and children together with other families, and teachers, enjoying the face to face company and sharing stories and feelings.

The photo below shows the welcome Mass for 2022.

Catholic School Parents Queensland

Catholic School Parents Queensland hold Parent Engagement days across Queensland.

 CSPQ is holding a series of Parent Engagement days across the state.  Days have been held in Cairns, Townsville and Toowoomba with attendance of parents, principals and school staff.  This is an opportunity to be together to hear a common message and to take back to their schools and homes some ideas and concepts to work on to improve our children’s learning and wellbeing.

The days have consisted of three workshops facilitated by well known psychologist Andrew Fuller. The topics Andrew is talking about are suitable for working with children of all ages. These topics are

• Tricky Behaviours
• Building Blocks for Mental Health in Children
• How to help your kids be motivated to learn and do well in school

The days have also included a presentation by The Fathering Project which aims to encourage more dads to spend more time with their children and to better engage with their children’s schools.  The Fathering Project supports schools to set up Dad’s groups at the school and also provides mentors and resources to support this work.

During the day we also have had local schools providing information on successful parent engagement in their school.  Some schools have been the recipients of a CSPQ Parent Engagement grant to carry out or begin an activity to encourage better engagement of families in their schools and thereby their children’s learning and wellbeing.

Further days are planned for:

• Brisbane – July 30 as part of Catholic Education Week
• Rockhampton  - August 20
• Sunshine Coast – August 27

These days will become annual events across Queensland with various speakers each year.  

Catholic School Parents Victoria

CSPV have a new email newsletter with information about partnerships, communication and advocacy.

CSPV are about to launch new marketing material to share with schools and parents across Victoria. Our Connect email blast and A4 flyer called Parent Connect for primary and one for secondary are linked below. This resulted from a marketing review CSPV commissioned earlier this year.

CSPV have also been focusing on developing key strategic partnerships this year and have established collaborative relationships and worked on projects to develop parent resources with SchoolTV, CECV and Lifesaving Victoria, Commission for Children and Young People, Victorian Institute of Teaching, Victorian Registrations and Qualifications Authority, Victorian Disability Worker Commission and Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. CSPV are also working on partnerships with Catholic Care Victoria, The Alannah and Madeleine Foundation/eSmart and Posischools to share resources to support parents to engage in learning curriculum, wellbeing, child safety and Catholic community.

Connecting with these organisations provides CSPV with evidence based resources to share that parents are able to trust and that are already available. These partnerships also provide CSPV with opportunities for bringing parent voice and perspective to key decision making and development of new resources specifically for parents.

CSPV are about to start our parent leadership project and are forming a team of parents to drive the project. We also have a State election coming up so we are gearing up to work on advocacy on behalf of Catholic school parents.

Plenty happening but our other focus is to have at least 100 parent representatives (one from each Catholic school) by the end of the year with the aim to have all schools with a parent rep connected with CSPV over the next couple of years.

Council of Catholic School Parents NSW

Acknowledging and celebrating the importance of parent representation and engagement

On May 19 and 20, 2022 representatives from the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT (CCSP) gathered in Coffs Harbour to acknowledge and celebrate 17 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parent representation to CCSP Council and deepen knowledge of Parent Engagement practices.

The 11 NSW/ACT Dioceses were represented by a group of Volunteer Parent Representatives, Aboriginal Educators and Diocesan Parent/Family Engagement Officers.

Jenny Skinner welcomed everyone to Gumbaynggirr Country during the moving and educational dance and smoking ceremony performed by the Wajaar Ngaarlu group.Catherine Ible, former Chair CCSP, currently Parent Engagement Officer, Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Armidale, and Mary Atkinson, Aboriginal Education Worker, Diocese of Wagga Wagga, spoke about the formation and positive impact of the CCSP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Parent Committee.

They acknowledged and thanked Sharon Cooke, Senior Manager, Aboriginal Education, Catholic Schools NSW, Inaugural Chair of the CCSP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Parent Committee, and all previous and current members of the committee who have worked to give a voice to Aboriginal families in NSW/ACT schools. 

Working with the Diocesan Aboriginal education specialists the committee have promoted Catholic education to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Knowing that their voice is understood, respected, and listened to, has resulted in more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families choosing Catholic education for their children. The committee have developed many resources that are shared amongst communities across NSW and ACT.

Doreen Flanders, Aboriginal Education Officer, Diocese of Lismore, generously shared some of her story and the wonderful work that is happening in the Diocese of Lismore to support Aboriginal students on their education journey.

The Action Plan developed by the Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Lismore, incorporates knowledge and experience Doreen has gained during her 17 years as an Aboriginal Educator. 

She discussed the importance of developing culturally responsive schools where Aboriginal students feel welcome and stressed the importance of developing and building relationships with families in-order to support student school attendance.

“The Welcome to Country was a highlight and Aunty Doreen's experiences were very moving.” commented Anne Fehon, Parent Representative, Archdiocese of Sydney. 

Delegates participated in an engaging and informative session about building and developing family-school partnerships. 

Janita Thomson, Lead, Family Partnership, Diocese of Lismore, Catholic Schools Office, shared some of the methods used within the Diocese of Lismore to develop and nurture partnerships.

During her presentation she acknowledged that it takes time, effort and commitment to build the partnerships, however, there are many benefits for students, parents and schools.

The presentations and follow up discussions provided delegates with ideas they can trial in our own dioceses.

The 2022 Roger O’Sullivan Memorial Award for Family, School and Community Partnerships for Learning was launched during the conference.

CCSP would like to thank Christine Morrison, Janita Thomson and Doreen Flanders of the Lismore Diocese for the very moving liturgy and celebration of spirituality and for making the attendees feel so welcome.

If you have any questions contact CCSP at office@ccsp.catholic.edu.au 

Catholic School Parents South Australia

The first half of 2022 has seen a busy  start to the newly formed body, Catholic Schools Parents of South Australia. As a body, we created a new brand, launched our website and began regular engagement on social media platforms with parents, schools and the wider community.

We have continued to ensure a strong Catholic Parent Voice to our politicians during the recent State and Federal elections.

We look forward to working with newly formed Governments and Ministers for Education to work towards providing an education for all children.

Term 2 has seen restrictions for COVID-19 within school’s ease. The restrictions easing have welcomed back parents in the classrooms, whole school celebrations, liturgies and parent connections being formed.

We have seen children return to some sense of normality, albeit a new type of normal.

Unfortunately, with restrictions easing COVID numbers have also continued to rise and as we now enter winter, we continue to see the pressures that are placed on families, schools, and their health care system. We urge you to take care of each other, be kind and seek help are the physical, social perspectives needed.

Whilst we are settling into the new normal, it is wonderful to be able to see schools welcoming families back in to experience the magic, joy, and wonder of the learning spaces that surround their children.

Our organisation has seen the Executive Officer be involved in the judging panel for the inaugural Catholic Education South Australia awards recognising the inspiring commitment, innovation and dedication to the education sector. We have had the opportunity to begin regional travel, travelling over 2000km ranging from Mount Gambier to Jamestown. The diversity of the regions, active parent communities and inspiring learning spaces were evident throughout the travel, with each community welcoming our body with open arms.

Our Executive Officer is engaging with community through regular news articles which can be accessed at News | Catholic School Parents SA (cspsa.catholic.edu.au).

The school holidays will call out for a much-needed break so people can rest, recharge, and become inspired for the remaining terms. Many Catholic schools across our state will welcome new reception students and their families and we wish them joy and strength during this new exciting phase of their life.

It’s been a busy Term 2 – but bring on Term 3. We are ready and inspired!

Catholic School Parents Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

Community mural depicting school values

In 2021, the community of St Thomas More’s Primary School, Campbell ACT, celebrated 60 years of Catholic Education.  In 2022 the school embarked on a grounds renewal project to see the school environment align with the vibrant welcoming community they are known for.   In Term 2 this included engaging with local Canberran artist Bohie who had worked with families previously on a community mural at the local shops. Bohie was tasked with gaining community input into a 35m² courtyard mural depicting the school values of Wisdom, Courage, and Peace. Each student engaged for five weeks during specialist visual arts lessons being influenced by mural artists, including Bohie, and designed what they felt would be a true depiction of the values. From these sketches a group of 22 students from Kindergarten to Year 6 were formed to participate in a workshop with Bohie and the school principal, Luke Donnelly. 

During the workshop, the students described the importance of Christian Meditation aligning with Peace, a practice the school has been leading in the Archdiocese, the Courage of a butterfly emerging from a cocoon and the Wisdom that comes from literature, particularly through wise animals such as whales, owls, and octopus. The workshop also brought out the need for growth of our values through trees integrated within the mural. 

On the School Feast Day, the whole community was given an opportunity to contribute to the mural using finger and thumb prints to create leaves, bark lines, butterflies, and integration with a silhouette of a meditating child.

St Thomas More’s is a transient community with 50% of families being members of the Australian Defence Force. Principal Luke Donnelly said, “We will continue to have fingerprints of members of our community added over years to come to symbolise the wider family of St Thomas More’s and our commitment to be centred in Faith, and learning to grow in Wisdom, Courage and Peace.”

Catholic School Parents Australia is keen to hear from Parents and Carers with Children in Catholic Schools.

Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) has been working with state and territory Catholic parent bodies, school parents and friends groups, diocesan directors and principals on the rollout of a parent survey which will be available on the new ENGAGE website from 25 July.

The survey aims to capture parent perspectives on issues of concern that impact their children’s health, wellbeing and learning, to help inform future federal government policy and the Catholic education community.

Feedback through this survey will also add to the bank of evidence on how parent engagement can enhance student learning and wellbeing.  CSPA has partnered with the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) in relation to this work.

In May, Catholic School Parents Australia, the national representative body for parents and carers with children and young people in Catholic schools, launched the ENGAGE social media platform.  This new site is tailored to inform parents and carers about issues affecting Catholic schools across Australia and has a major focus on parent engagement in student learning and wellbeing.

Parents and educators can learn more about parent engagement through resources already developed by CSPA and available on the Parent Engagement Toolkit website.  Currently, work is underway on additional parent engagement resources that will further highlight the home-school partnership and why it is important for student learning and wellbeing.  These video resources will be available for teachers and parents from early 2023.

Following are quotes from two interviews which feature in the videos.

Andrew Fuller: Anxiety really only becomes a problem when we don’t do anything with it.  So, anxiety is a feeling that all humans have and when it works well, we get kind of energised to do the things that we need to do.  When we don’t use it well is when we kind of collapse in a heap or flick through a whole lot of social media postings or really don’t use it as a call to action. 

CSPA believes that when parents and teachers work together children and young people have better outcomes both in wellbeing and learning.  If you are aware of a school where the family-school partnership is flourishing, and challenges such as the pandemic have largely served to strengthen this partnership, please let CSPA know by contacting john.obrien@cspa.catholic.edu.au  CSPA is keen to share and celebrate family-school partnership success stories from all over Australia.

CSPA acknowledges the support of the Australian Government for providing funding for this work.

Did you know that Students with disability make up 20% of the student population in Catholic schools. Read more on NCEC’s 2022 snapshot of Australian Catholic education.

McCrindle Research has produced an interesting free infographic on the 2021 Australian census data utilising Australia Street with 100 houses and 274 people as a basis for describing some census facts.

Notably 57 of the people in the street would be Gen Y (born between 1980 and 1994) and would be the generation with the highest number of people.  Gen Y make up 5.5 million (21%) of the Australian population.

The 2021 Census counted 25,422,788 people in Australia (excludes overseas visitors), an increase of 8.6 per cent since the 2016 Census.  49.3 per cent of the population were male and 50.7 per cent of the population were female.

(ABS data and McCrindle Research).

CSPA is thankful to our partners.

The National Catholic Education Commission

The National Catholic Education Commission at the national level complements and supports the work of the State and Territory Catholic Education Commissions.  Since inception, CSPA has been most grateful for the generous support provided annually from NCEC.

The Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund

ACSRF started in 1981 as a profit-to-member fund that assisted members from the Catholic education, healthcare, aged care and welfare sectors with their retirement savings.  Since inception, CSPA has been most grateful for the generous support provided annually from ACSRF.

Following is an article from ACSRF as part of a Financial Literacy Program provided to CSPA.  The title of the article is What’s the real aim of super? and is available below.

Catholic Church Insurance

Catholic Church Insurance has a long, proud history of serving the Catholic community, having done so since 1911. In fact, CCI is one of the oldest insurance companies in Australia.  CSPA is thankful for the generous support of CCI and 2022 is the fifth year that CSPA and CCI have been in a sponsoring partnership.

For more information on CCI Personal Insurance, be it:

• Car Insurance;
• Caravan & Trailer Insurance;
• Home & Contents Insurance;
• Landlord Insurance; or
• Travel Insurance.

Visit - www.catholicinsurance.org.au

Adaptations by Rina Wintour & Pat Lavercombe of the Disturbance Prayer (Author unknown).

Jesus, make me a channel of disturbance.

Where there is apathy, let me provoke.
Where there is compliance, let me bring questioning.
Where there is silence, let me be a voice.
Where there is too much comfort and too little action,
Grant disruption.

Where there are doors closed and hearts locked,
Grant the willingness to listen.
When laws dictate and pain is overlooked…
When tradition speaks louder than need…
When we refuse to take control of our own spiritual growth…
Our own mission…
Our own poor,
Disturb me, O Lord ,
Teach me to be radical.

Rina Wintour

O Divine Master
Grant that I may seek rather
To do justice than talk about it;
To be with as well as for, the poor;
To love the hard-to-love as well as the lovely;
To kiss the children of the poor rather than the feet of the crucifix.

For it is in giving that we receive
It is in walking-with that we truly understand.
It is in challenging evil that we achieve justice.
It is in the struggles of this life that we touch eternity.
Lord, make me a channel of disturbance.

Pat Lavercombe